CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT IN NORTHERN NATIONAL PARKS * * * TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE

Agenda  Introduction  Who we are  Parks Canada and the project  What is a climate change vulnerability assessment?  Case study locations  Aboriginal knowledge  Western science  Next steps 2

Who we are 3  Delia Siivola – Parks Canada – aboriginal engagement, ecology  Paul Zorn – Parks Canada, ecology  Al Douglas – climate change impacts and adaptation  Paul Gray – ecology, climate change, science  Chris Lemieux – university professor, research, parks

Parks Canada and the project  Understanding climate change in national parks  Work to-date  Traditional Ecological Knowledge component: aboriginal knowledge / Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit  Identifying important key ecological community values  Assessing climate change threats  3 case study parks  Aboriginal knowledge and western science  Opportunities for adaptation 4

What is a climate change vulnerability assessment?  Estimates possible changes, considers how changes could impact the land and people in the future.  Modeling possible future climate change: vegetation models  Consider many questions: 5  How is the climate changing? What are the impacts?  How has it affected you and your community? (e.g. char, caribou)  Coping/adapting?  Other influences?

Case study locations 6 Tuktut Nogait National Park Ukkusiksalik National Park Auyuittuq National Park

Aboriginal Knowledge  Approach based on stakeholder guidance  How has the climate changed? What are the impacts?  How does that affect the collection of subsistence foods/country foods?  How have you coped with these changes? What does it mean to your lifestyle and culture?  If changes continue, what will you do differently? 7

Western science and modeling  Forest Service of Canada  Modeling temperature and pptn change  Linking to affects on char and caribou  Maps 8  Complement aboriginal knowledge

 Initial stakeholder engagement for each study site  Based on stakeholder feedback, determine the approach for engagement of local and aboriginal knowledge  Enlist vulnerability assessment leads  Begin modeling and mapping  Develop methods for assessing vulnerability for key ecological indicators  Set reporting dates Next steps 9

Contact Information  Delia Siivola –   Al Douglas –  x

Thank you!

Photo credits 12  Markus Siivola, slides 1, 2, 4, 7, 11  Parks Canada, slide 5, park maps on slide 6  Canada map on slide 6  slide 8